Town chairman sets sights on Premier Division title success

Town begin the new campaign on Saturday with a home game against Eagley at the Mike Riding Ground.

After a number of near misses over the past few years, Parkinson reckons the team is ready to finish on top of the pile. Since winning promotion to the top flight in 2012, Town have registered three top-six finishes.

Last season, they ended the season in fourth spot, although they would have finished one place higher – and only three points shy of eventual champions Blackpool Wren Rovers – if they had not suffered a six point deduction for fielding an ineligible player.

Manager Lee Ashcroft, who has bolstered his squad by signing ex-Bamber Bridge goalkeeper Lee Dovey and striker Alex Randall, is determined to end Town’s title hoodoo and Parkinson is confident of his club’s chances.

“We want to win the league this season,” said Parkinson. “We are going for everything – league and cup.

“I think we will be the favourites for the title.

“The manager Lee Ashcroft is in the third year of a three-year contract and he has built up a good squad.

“I have every confidence in the manager for this season and hopefully we can finish the season winning something.

“We had the points deduction last season, which was a mistake of the club, but that won’t be happening again.”

It will be a battle of the ex-Preston North End wingers in the dug-outs on Saturday as Ashcroft goes head-to-head with Eagley manager Simon Whaley.

“Eagley have a good manager in Simon Whaley,” said Parkinson. “They struggled last season, but they could have brought some good players in over the summer.”